Dog missing in Tahoe National Forest reunited with family

Nathan Braun, pictured with Murphy. The golden retreiver went missing on a camping trip almost two years ago in the Tahoe National Forest, but recently turned up at a campground at French Meadows Reservoir.

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A golden retriever named Murphy, missing for 20 months in the Tahoe National Forest, is believed to have been reunited with her family this week after she was spotted at a campground less than five miles from where she disappeared.

“As you can imagine, we are completely shocked and amazed with the miracle of her surviving this long,” Nathan and Erin Braun, of El Dorado Hills, wrote on a Facebook page set up to help find Murphy.

The 5-year-old dog went missing on a camping trip in October 2012. Initial efforts to find her turned up no leads, but Nathan and Erin Braun held out hope. They finally got a call this month. It came from people who saw a dog matching Murphy’s description at a campground at French Meadows Reservoir.

The Brauns spent several days looking for Murphy with no success, but left her old blanket and bed and some family clothing with the campground host hoping she would respond to that.

“A week went by and we got a call from the campground host who was able to coax her into a kennel after she had been sleeping every night on the blanket and clothing,” Nathan and Erin Braun wrote on their Facebook page.

The trio was reunited this past Sunday — on Father’s Day. Murphy is thin and frail but happy to be home the couple wrote. “We cannot describe how grateful we are.”

The couple could not be reached for comment. They told News 10 in Sacramento that they are “99 percent certain” the dog they found is Murphy, but are still waiting for a DNA test to confirm it.